PGA Championship At Quail Hollow Could Affect Its Tour Event

The PGA Tour's annual event at Quail Hollow Club could go on hiatus for "one to two years leading up to" the '17 PGA Championship at the Charlotte course, according to Ron Green Jr. of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The PGA of America's announcement yesterday that Quail Hollow will host the '17 PGA Championship "immediately elevated Charlotte’s place in the game" and will "bring a higher profile" to the club. But club officials said that they "intend to make changes to the course before the event, and that may mean a hiatus for Charlotte's PGA Tour event." Quail Hollow Club President Johnny Harris said that the club "probably will not host a PGA Tour event" in ’16 and "declined comment when asked if there might be an event" in ’15. Quail Hollow is scheduled to host the Wells Fargo Championship through ’14, but Harris yesterday said that “he has had no discussions with anyone about extending the PGA Tour event beyond the end of its current contract.” Harris did not “rule out continuing to host a tour event, and has said repeatedly that hosting the PGA Championship and continuing to host a PGA Tour event are not mutually exclusive." But he added, "The lack of conversation and the fact our existing sponsor (Wells Fargo) had not shown any interest in the tournament after 2014 sort of led us." Wells Fargo spokesperson Josh Dunn said the bank is "very pleased" with its sponsorship of the PGA Tour event. He stressed that Wells Fargo is "committed to the event" through ’14. Dunn: “When the time comes to evaluate our sponsorship renewal, we don’t anticipate the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow being a factor in our decision” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/1).

FIT FOR A QUEEN (CITY): Harris said that the Charlotte business community “supported his bid to bring” the PGA Championship to the city and that he expects “its support now that the event is coming.” Wells Fargo Charlotte Regional President Kendall Alley said that the bank will “want to entertain clients at the tournament," while Charlotte Chamber Chair David Darnell said that “he expects the business community will support the event just as it does the Wells Fargo Championship and the city’s other major pro sports” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 9/1).